Detection of epidermal growth factor receptor in the serum of patients with cervical carcinoma.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in a variety of malignancies, including breast, lung, gastric, and cervical carcinoma. Its overexpression has been associated with disease progression or poor prognosis in patients with cervical carcinoma. In the present study, the levels of EGFR were determined in serum from 38 patients with cervical carcinoma [invasive or recurrent carcinoma (n = 26) and carcinoma in situ (CIS; n = 12)] and 38 healthy female controls using ELISA. The mean serum level for EGFR in patients with invasive or recurrent carcinoma (165 +/- 60 fmol/ml) was significantly elevated (P < 0.0001) compared with that of healthy controls (66 +/- 17 fmol/ml) and also higher (P = 0.015) than that of patients with CIS (126 +/- 25 fmol/ml). In addition, there was a significant difference in the mean serum levels of EGFR between patients with CIS and healthy controls (P < 0.0001). Thirty-five patients (92%) with cervical carcinoma [invasive or recurrent (n = 24) and CIS (n = 11)] had elevated serum, EGFR levels above the cutoff value of 100 fmol/ml (defined as 2 SD above the mean of the controls). In conclusion, the serum EGFR level was elevated in a significant proportion of patients with cervical carcinoma, and it demonstrated an increasing tendency according to disease progression from normal tissue through CIS to invasive cervical carcinoma. Therefore, it may have a potential usefulness as a biological marker of cervical carcinoma.

[Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) and osteoporosis].

The authors have already reported that the bone density of normal pregnant women might be kept at the same density as in normal non-pregnant women. However, it might be decreased in women with pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) by estimating serum calcium levels, serum levels of calcium regulating hormones and calcium secretion into the urine. In order to demonstrate this theory, the degree of bone density in the second metacarpal bone of normal or PIH pregnant women was measured by X-ray using microdensitometry method (MD method). In MD method, six indices, such as MCI, d, GSmin, GSmax, sigma GS/D and densitometric pattern, are calculated by computer analysis of the X-ray of the bilateral hands. By the evaluation of the degree of bone atrophy, scores such as 0 better than the regression line of healthy women, which were prepared according to each age, 1 until 1 delta to the aggravation, 2 until 2 delta, and 3 more than 2 delta were totaled and evaluated as normal, initial stage of bone atrophy, 1st degree of bone atrophy, 2nd degree of bone atrophy and 3rd degree of bone atrophy for 0-3 scores, 4-9 scores, 10-12 scores and 13-18 scores, respectively (delta = 1 S.D.). The metacarpal index (MCI) of normal pregnant women in 3rd trimester was more than the mean in all cases, while cases more than 2 delta of the mean were noted in 29.4% of mild PIH and 11.8% of severe PIH, and a decreasing tendency of width of bone cortex was considered in PIH women. On the other hand, width of bone marrow (d) increased significantly in mild and severe PIH women. In the index for the density of only bone cortex area (GSmax) in PIH women, cases less than mean -1 delta were noted in 29.3% of mild types and in 11.8% of severe types respectively, and a high incidence was noted even though it was insignificant compared with 7.4% of normal pregnant women. In the index of the densities of bone cortex and bone marrow (GSmin), cases less than mean -1 delta were noted more frequently in PIH women than normal pregnant women, but in the index of bone density per unit length (sigma GS/D) no differences were noted between PIH and normal pregnant women.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[A study on bone density in women during pregnancy and postpartum].

Although 25-30 grams of calcium is transported into the fetus during pregnancy, it is suggested that the maternal bone might be kept at the same density as in non-pregnant women by measuring serum or urinary calcium concentrations and calcium regulating hormones simultaneously (Ohara et al. Folia Endocrinol., 1986). In this study, the influence of pregnancy on the maternal bone was investigated by measuring the degree of bone density in the second metacarpal bone of pregnant or puerperal women in an X-ray picture using a microdensitometer and a computer (Microdensitometry method; MD method, Inoue et al., 1983). Among six indices provided by this method, d (bone marrow width) tended to increase, but MCI (Barnett's metacarpal index) tended to decrease toward late pregnancy. GSmin, GSmax and sigma GS/D were significantly lower in the third trimester of pregnancy than in the second trimester of pregnancy. The densitometric patterns were A in most of the pregnant and puerperal women, but one case with the pattern of AB and two cases with the pattern of B were found in the third trimester of pregnancy. The sum of the scores of the six indices, which were based on the severity of each index, was within 0-3 in pregnant or puerperal women though it tended to increase as pregnancy progressed. From these results, it was confirmed that maternal bone density was maintained within the normal limits throughout pregnancy and postpartum.